Ice Fishing: East Coast

Ice fishing in CT...in the middle of December??

Not very often we can say that, but this year it's on. Yes people have been finding fishable ice for about 3 weeks now and there is a pretty good base in the NW corner of the state, but extreme caution still needs to be taken as we are in that "first ice" phase.

Ice picks, a spud bar and a safety throw rope are standard at a minimum, don't forget your ice cleats either as some warm temps and rain have melted the snow so there are some slippery conditions out there. An Ice Armor Lift Suit by Clam Outdoors is a great idea as well.

Now that we have covered some safety topics, let's talk FISH. As with most early ice situations, there are still some good green weeds to be found. We have been targeting expansive weed flats in the 6-9 foot range.

Most of the tall stalks that were close to the water’s surface have laid down and left a few of the stronger ones standing which gives the fish...and the bait, some great places to hang out.

Speaking of bait...Eurotackle is a fairly new company that is hitting the ice fishing scene full force this year. They offer some great tungsten jigs, a uniquely designed "prizm stick" spoon and a great line of micro finesse soft plastics....keep an eye on this company, more good things are on the way.

This year is shaping up to be a really good one, so use caution, be safe, take a kid fishing and get out there and enjoy what winter has to offer.